Control device for strand feed



Nov. 22, 1955 K. H. ANDREN CONTROL DEVICE FOR STRAND FEED Filed April19, 1951 ///Z/ all 1 IIVVl-NI'OR K. H AND/Pf 2,724,561 FPatented Nov.22, 1955 CONTROL -DEVICE FGRSTRAND FEED Karl'.H.-.-Audren; Greenfield,Wis.,-assignr, by mesne asesignments, toWestem Electric Company,incorporated,

Newlyork, N. Y a corporation .of New York Application-Apr'il 19, 1951;Serial No.-22l,912

7: Claims. i{Cl.-.24237) Thisinvention relates-to. a 'wire feed controldevice and more; particularly to a'controldevice actuated inresponse'to. a kinksorknot inthe-Wire or in response to thede'pleu'on ofthe supply of wire to stop the feed of the wire.

It is. an object of.the present invention to provide a simple control.devicefor use with a wire feeding mechanism'for stoppingJtheffeedoffthe wire in response to the presence of a knot 01'' kink inthe wire.

"It is the further object of'the present invention to provide a controldevice'for use-with. a wire feeding mechanism for stoppingjfeedof the'wire in response. tothe depletion of 'fthesupplyfioi wire. Inaccordance with onelembodiment of. the invention .as applied to a wire'fedingmebhanism, there is provided a movable frjp pmemberhaving' anaperturefitherein i'for freely passing oiily'aistrihtwireithe're'through and hav -ing'acam recess'therin'for receiving an armof a switch connected to a control circuitof the. drive mechanism foradvancing the wire. "The arm'of theswitch is' biased into the recessbffthe meriibert'o' yieldably-maintain Ithe member'in'itsnorm'alpo'sitibn. arid! is moved outwardly -by movement of'the memberbyaknot or kink in the wire to actuate 'the'f switbhaiid 'stop the feed ofthe wire. A. ,guide member mounted for movementinto engagementwith'thetripmember is yieldably held in a normal position in spaced relation tosaid trip memberand serves -to change the-direction of movement of thewire from the supply'of wire on'a reel to which the end of the-wire issecured. 'When 'the supplyof wire on the reel .has been usedup, the pull ofthe-wire. against the end secured to the reel willcauseflthe guidemember to move into and actuate 'the tripmember to open the switch andstop the wire feed.

Other. objects and advantages of .the invention will become apparent byreferencev tofthe. following-detailed description-Z thereof .antLthe.accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of theinvention, in which "Eigfilis a'diagrammatic viewrot the wire feedcontrol mechanism;

'Fig.'2' is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through thewireIfee'd. control Lclevicenaiidtav reel for holding a v.supplyofwireandl's'howing the feed control devicein its nonniil position;

Eig.l3..is an-..enlarged.sectional view.- of..a .portion .of .thenfeetLcontrol device shown r -in Fig. -.2 and. .with parts.thereof.showninchangedyposition; and

Fig. 4 is a frontrelevatiorml wiewof; the feed-control t-device.

Referringrdonthe :tdrawingsndhere is 1 shown a.- supply reel:mnonswhichzis' wound a: supply of: wire: 11, zone s end :r12rof which.is. seeured to thelreel; *as by 'passing it through :an; aperture-:13xin'iheraeeluand' having .a' :knot formed LOB cthenend rthereof. :flheaeeli'ltl is supported. .on a .tubular support-tor ireel holderflfisecured to austationaryi frame :zmember l6;uvhieh:fonns a:part etasuitable framework :zfor tsupporting the control device. 'l'he head 5:18of a 3 tubular rclampingrtmember :19, which is --telescopicallymounted'zwithin the? support 15 and-securedto the frame -by.-a:thumbrscrewr20gengages and-clamps the reel'againstrmovementa-orrutherre'el holder15. The wirell, asitis withdrawnfrom;the; supply, is guided aboutthe reel byatubular:guide:or-.flier:25: supported by. bracketsi26"-26 on arod 27rotatably supported in the tubular member 19. The rod 27 is yieldablyretained in the member 19 .by .a spring-28 :disposedbetween shouldersformed on .;the.. member I19.=and .the'rod 27.

.The: end 30'of:.the:-guide.25 is positioned substantially on theaxis'ofthereel 10. and guides the wire for movezment outwardly fromthe.reelon the axis thereof intoengagement with. a guide" roller 31rotatably mounted for rotation on a pln'32; which is fixed to amovableU-shaped member-or slide 34, andserves .to rotatably support the guideroller 31 for movement with'the slide. The member34'.is':slidably:mountedin guideways 36 formed in a pair of spacedmembers '37 of a guide member 38, which is securedrto'and supportedfroma plate 39. The plate '39,'-in turn, isattachedito .an angle iron framemember Athwhichi is connected to and supported by the frame -;mernber 16in'a'suitable manner. A spring 45 secured to the slide 34 and Ethe lowerend of the guide member 38 tends to pull the carrier 34 andthe guideroller '31 down- -wardlyttotheirnormal position, shown in Figs. 2 and 4,where thezzs'lide 34 lengages an abutment in the lower :portion ofztheguideways 36. The wire 11 passes around --:.the.;guide.-roller- 31'andis directedthrough an aperture 47 .in a :trip member 48and .intoengagement with a suitable means for feeding oradvancing the wire,which, as illustrated in Fig. 1, comprises a pair of feed rollers :52.

The. tripwmember- 48, which has a cylindrical contour, is mountedforxvertical movement in a bore-54 of a boss or'bracket 55 f0rmed ona"-housing member 56, which .is securedto the frame' member 40 andsupported in fixed position thereby. A shoulder or"fiange57 formed onthe upper end of the trip-member 43 engages the upper edge ofthe'bra'cket 55 to support the trip member'48' in a normal position,indicated in Fig. 2. An annular groove or recess 58-forming cam surfaceson the trip member '48, is 'adapted-toreceive a roller 59 mounted on thearm 60 of a'switch 62, which issupported by and within thehousingSG.'The;arm'-60 istensioned for-movement into'thc cam'recess"58-and servesto yieldably hold the trip member lfl in its normalposition. The bore470i the trip member 48 is of a size which-Will freely'passstraighbportions'of the wire 10 'therethrough,"but which willengage'an'd restraitrthe movement-of a deformed portion of the wire; as,for example, a portion of'the wire having a kink or a knottherein. Thus,in the. event a kinlcor knot is formed in the wire and engages the, tripmember48-as the wire is, being fed, 'it will impart .move- .ment to thetrip member which,..in turn,..will .eam .the arm 60 outwardlyandactuatethe switchfilto. effect-the stopping=of..the :wirefeed.

..One.of: the-feed. rolls 52 (Fig. l).-is conneeted-to..and rotated by.am-elect-rio motor; conueetednthrougheuit- .;able..conduetorsv66: anda-:-set.-.of contacts 567 .zto-spower lines 68 andl69. :flhecontactsz67.areiactuated by arelay 70;.iwhichr1'sroormected .byia.suitable: conductorin-series and cause it to actuate the switch 62 toopen position and render the wire feed inoperative.

A member 77 secured-to the upper portion of the carrier member 34 has anupwardly extending narrow finger 78 disposed in alignment with the tripmember 48 and with the end portion thereof spaced a predetermineddistance from the member 48. In response to upward movement of the guideroller 31, the finger 78 is caused to engage the trip member 48 and moveit upwardly to actuate the switch 62 and effect the stopping of the wiredrive. When the supply of wire 11 has been exhausted, the wire will bedrawn taut from the end portion 12 thereof, which is secured to thereel, and the wire, as it passes from the end 30 of the tubular guide25, will move the roller 31, the slide 34 and the finger 78 upwardlytherewith to cause the finger 78 to engage and move the trip member 48,thereby actuating the switch 62 to stop the wire feed. Thus, with theabove-described construction of control mechanism, the wire feed isrendered inoperative stopping the feeding of the wire in the event akink or knot is formed in the wire or in response to the depletion ofthe supply of wire. In either case, the member 48 is moved upwardly toactuate the switch 62 and render the feeding device inoperable. Theswitch 62 manually remains open until the member 48 is reset to itsnormal position after the condition causing its upward movement has beenremedied.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simplyillustrative of the application of the principles of the invention.Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled inthe art which will embody the principles of the invention and fallwithin the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A device of the type described comprising feed means for advancing astrand including a switch disposed adjacent the path of travel of saidstrand for rendering said feed means inoperable in response to actuationof said switch, means for supporting a supply of strand with one endthereof secured against feeding movement, a trip member having anaperture therein for guiding therethrough a strand free of knots and forpreventing the passage of a portion of the strand having a knot therein,means for supporting said trip member adjacent said switch for movementwith said strand by a knot therein to actuate said switch, guide meansengageable with said strand from said supply for changing the path ofmovement thereof from one direction to another direction and into theaperture in said trip member, means mounting said guide means formovement into engagement with said trip member to actuate said member,and means yieldably retaining said guide means in a normal position inspaced relation and adjacent to said trip member.

2. A feed control device for use with a wire feeding mechanism having acontrol circuit comprising a trip member having an aperture therein forreceiving a wire as it is being advanced by said feeding mechanism, saidaperture being of a size to freely pass a straight wire therethrough butto restrain a wire having a kink or knot therein, means supporting saidtrip member in a normal position and for movement with said wire, a camon said member, an element stressed for movement against said cam foryieldably retaining said member in said normal position and movableoutwardly by the movement of said trip member from said normal positionby a knot in said wire, a switch connected to the control circuit ofsaid wire feeding mechanism for rendering the wire feeding mechanisminoperative in response to the outward movement of said element, meansfor supporting a supply of wire with the end of the wire secured againstfeeding movement, guide means for receiving said wire from said supplyin one direction and guiding said wire in a predetermined path inanother direction, means guiding said guide means for movement alongsaid predetermined path from a first position into engagement with saidtrip member, and means yieldably retaining said guide means in saidfirst position, said guide means being movable to actuate said tripmember in response to the movement of the wire when the wire has reachedthe end of its supply for rendering said feed mechanism inoperable.

3. A feed control device for use with a strand feeding mechanism havinga switch disposed adjacent the path of travel of said strand andactuatable to render the feeding mechanism inoperable comprising abushing having an aperture for passing a strand free of knotstherethrough and for preventing the passage of a portion of the strandhaving a knot therein, means for supporting the bushing adjacent theswitch and for movement with said strand by a knot in the strand, a camsurface on said bushing engageable with said switch for actuating saidswitch in response to movement of said bushing, means for supporting asupply of strand with one end thereof secured against feeding movement,a guide roller engageable with the strand from said supply for changingthe path of movement thereof from one direction to another, a carrierfor rotatably supporting said roller and having a portion thereofengageable with said bushing, and means yieldably supporting saidcarrier in a normal position with said portion in spaced relation tosaid bushing and for movement with said strand to move said bushing inresponse to the exhaustion of the supply of strand.

4. A feed control device comprising feed means for withdrawing a strandfrom a supply thereof, means including an element disposed adjacent thepath of travel of said strand for rendering said feed means inoperablein response to movement of said element, means stationarily mounted inrelation to said feed means for supporting a supply of strand with oneend thereof secured against feeding movement, guide means engageablewith said strand as it is being withdrawn from said supply in a firstdirection for changing the path of movement thereof from said firstdirection to a second direction disposed transversely of said firstdirection, means mounting said guide means for movement toward saidelement, said guide means being moved into engagement with said elementby said strand to actuate said element in response to the exhaustion ofthe supply of strand and the shortening of the strand between said feedmeans and said one end of said strand, and means yieldably retainingsaid guide means in a normal position in spaced relation and adjacent tosaid element.

5. In a strand feeding device, the combination of stationary means forsupporting a reel of strand, feed means for withdrawing said strand fromsaid reel, guide means having a first position engageable with thestrand at a point thereon intermediate said reel and said feed means forguiding the strand from the reel to the feed means through a pathgreater in length than that from the reel directly to said feed meansand for maintaining a sub- .stantially constant predetermined length ofstrand between said feed means and said reel as the strand is beingwithdrawn therefrom, means mounting said guide means for movement fromsaid first position to a second position in response to the shorteningof said predetermined length of strand between said reel and said feedmeans, resilient means for yieldably maintaining said guide means insaid first position, and means operable in response to movement of saidguide means to said second position for rendering said feed meansinoperable.

6. In a strand feeding device, the combination of stationary means forsupporting a supply of strand with one end secured against feedingmovement, feed means for withdrawing said strand from said supply, guidemeans having a normal first position engageable with the strand at apoint thereon intermediate said supply and said feed means for guidingthe strand from the supply to the feed means through a path greater inlength than that from the supply directly to said feed means and formaintaining a substantially constant predetermined length of strandbetween said supply and said feed means as said strand is being fed,means mounting said guide means for movement in a predetermined pathfrom said first position in response to the exhaustion of said supply ofstrand and the shortening of said predetermined length of strand betweensaid supply and said feed means, resilient means for moving said guidemeans to and yieldably maintaining it in said first position, and meansincluding an element mounted in the path of said guide means andactuatable thereby in response to movement of said guide means from saidfirst position for rendering said feed means inoperable.

7. In a strand feeding device the combination of means for supporting asupply of strand with one end thereof secured against feeding movement,feed means for withdrawing the strand from said supply, guide meansengageable with said strand at a point intermediate the supply and thefeed means for changing the direction of movement thereof between thesupply and the feed means and for maintaining a substantially constantpredetermined length of strand therebetween, means mounting said guidemeans for movement in a predetermined path from a normal position inresponse to the shortening of said predetermined length of strandbetween said supply and said feed means, resilient means for yieldablymaintaining said guide means in said normal position, and meansincluding an element disposed in the path of said guide and actuatablethereby in response to the shortening of said predetermined length ofstrand for rendering said feed means inoperable.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS616,137 Perret Dec. 20, 1898 1,289,160 Gudebrod Dec. 31, 1918 1,895,244Meyer-Gaus et al. Jan. 24, 1933 1,958,060 McKean May 8, 1934 2,134,017Alderman Oct. 25, 1938 2,328,344 Jones Aug. 31, 1943 2,426,051 ReiberAug. 19, 1947 2,434,864 Powell Jan. 20, 1948 2,453,900 Gardiner et a1.Nov. 16, 1948. 2,596,536 Dale May 13, 1952

